Lakers Reportedly Chasing After Steve Nash

The Los Angeles Lakers would likely need to engineer a sign-and-trade in order to acquire the 38-year old Steve Nash, according to NBA.com: “The Lakers, with a payroll already projected in excess of $83 million next season, would only be able to offer Nash an exception starting at $3.09 million for next season. It’s unlikely Nash would take that, so a sign-and-trade deal would be a more realistic possibility. The Lakers do have a viable starting point guard they could send Phoenix in such a deal, Ramon Sessions, who became an unrestricted free agent after surprisingly opting out of the last year of his contract. Forwards Jordan Hill and Matt Barnes are also free agents. The Lakers have also been looking to rid themselves of forward Metta World Peace, who has two years and $15 million remaining on his deal. But the Suns aren’t believed to be interested in World Peace. Nash is mulling offers from the Raptors, who reportedly have a three-year, $36 million deal on the table, and the Knicks, who only have the $3 million exception to offer as well. A source said Tuesday that Nash is allowing the Knicks time to try and create a sign-and-trade deal that would be palatable for Phoenix — and also get Nash a higher annual salary. But the Raptors put a crimp in New York’s plans Tuesday when they reached a verbal agreement with restricted free-agent guard Landry Fields on an offer sheet worth $20 million for three years.”